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A Problem Shared is a Problem Halved People living with HIV supporting each other in Support Groups Talk of support. Here goes this beautiful Shona proverb, “Kandiro kanoenda kunobva kamwe”. A plateful of food goes where another plateful of food came from. We are not talking about the greedy that demand payment for giving you directions and the rampant cancerous corruption that is rapidly eating out our society right at the heart. We are talking about mutual relationships that can and should exist among people. Here, you as the supported receive support from those supporters who support you so can support the same supporters who give you support. The support you get from these supporters enables you to support yourself giving you a new life of hope and strength enough to support those supporters who are supporting you. As we go on talking about support I want to talk particularly about HIV support groups. What is an HIV support group? Put simply, an HIV support group is a group of HIV positive people who come together to support each other in order to lesson the burden of HIV and AIDS. Please note that this is not an Oxford English Dictionary definition. Here the most important thing is the support that is given and received by the members therein. Why the group? In a supportive group, people feel that they are not isolated and alone with their problems. A problem shared is a problem halved or eliminated altogether. A support group provides opportunities to meet people and make friends. Individuals become more confident and are able to take control of their lives. Power is given to people living with HIV to take control of their lives. Here, they can organize their own activities and lead themselves. In the support group they can fight for their rights and services due to them. They can have one audible voice where there were only timid inaudible whispers. In the support group people can share resources, ideas and information. The support group will make service providers and other people in the community more aware of the problems facing people living with HIV as it will increase their visibility. Stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV is reduced as the community becomes more and more involved in fighting HIV and AIDS from different angles. As support groups multiply they can network and form a powerful organisation that can represent the interests of people living with HIV at village, ward, district, province, national and international levels. One match stick you can break without effort. I have just tried to break seven match sticks but I failed. There is power in a group. What are some of the activities that take place in an HIV support group? In the HIV support group members meet regularly to share problems and support each other. They learn more about HIV and AIDS and how to live in a positive way. They learn about nutrition and exercise. They learn about how to look after the sick and go on to look after the sick in their community. They learn more about their medication while assisting and supporting each other. Support group members identify advocacy issues and go on to advocate for their rights and services due to them. They organize awareness campaigns in their communities to inform and make people aware of HIV and AIDS related issues. They assist in the care of orphans and other vulnerable children. They learn how to plan and run projects that improve incomes and nutrition. They play and laugh. Who joins an HIV support group? Anyone who is HIV positive, be they male or female. Some groups are 100% HIV positive while other groups accept a small percentage of people who are HIV negative. There are groups of adults. Youths and children can also form their own HIV support groups. It is sad to note that HIV support group membership is currently around 80% female and 20% male. However support groups of men are being formed in an effort to improve male participation in HIV and AIDS. How many members can we have in a group? 10, 15, 20 are good numbers, the smaller the better. Large numbers are not recommended. Members will not get adequate support as it is easy to get lost in a large group. If your group has more than 25 members you are advised to come up with two groups. In Mbwendeland HIV support groups are rarely found in the middle and upper classes. Most of them are in rural areas and in high density suburbs yet HIV infects the poor and the rich. Are the middle and upper class citizens mbwendes who are too scared to confront the lion and fight it? Or are they too scared to reveal their HIV status, while some would prefer to suffer in the dark without even knowing their status. Born from Batanai, the very first IV support group to be formed in Mbwendeland, BHASO has a wealth of experience in support group issues. BHASO facilitates the formation, training and coordination of HIV support groups in Masvingo Province. Support group members receive free training in support group management, HIV and AIDS, basic home based care, basic counselling, nutrition, natural herbs, human rights and advocacy, project planning and implementation and treatment literacy. BHASO also assists through its livelihoods and food security programme that offers disadvantaged farmers inputs, training, market linkages and small livestock. Are you a person living with HIV? If your answer is positive and you are not in a support group, join one today. If there is no support group in your area talk to a few other people living with HIV in your community and form your own HIV support group. You will not regret it. For more information contact the BHASO offices mentioned above. Mbwendeman Peter Marimi BHASO Training & Information Officer |
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